Haruka Na Okurimono
by Vaporeone
Summary: Ten years have passed since I moved away. I wonder how much my friends have changed. Sequel to "An Endless Tale". Post-Frontier


Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, Digimon Frontier, or any of these characters.

Author's Note:

This is the direct sequel to my story, "An Endless Tale", which I suggest reading first because it's the prologue to this epilogue. If that makes any sense. XD

I'd also like to make note that I'm working on a "music video" of this story and "An Endless Tale". I've made most of the storyboards and posted it on YouTube. Look for it under my channel/username, "RyuuAnimations". Or you can try looking at it here by replacing the . and / . youtu (dot) be (slash) H5ff2gzV1cE

Anyways, I hope you enjoy. And Happy 10th Anniversary to Digimon Frontier!

* * *

(Kouichi's POV)

It's been ten years… Lives change. People grow apart. I yawned and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. It was a long train ride from Niigata into Tokyo. Okaasan and I moved out just over a year after the events of the Digital world. She found a better job in Niigata, on the other side of the country.

It was a sad goodbye, but Kouji and I at least kept in contact. At first anyways.

It started out with a call every morning, a multitude of emails during the day, and a call in the evening. Sometimes if our lunch schedules lined up, Kouji and I would call each other. I wracked up quite the phone bill, but I didn't care. It was Kouji. I promised okaasan that I would get a part time job to pay that off, and any other expenses I could. I did.

But taking on work caused Kouji and I to start dropping out of contact.

Work became more work, and I was scared that I was going to drop out of junior high school, and never even make it into senior high. That was the last time I saw Kouji. He appeared on our doorstep one evening. He skipped school that day, collected all his savings from his own part time jobs he never told me about, and came straight to us. We had to call his… our… father… just to make sure he didn't worry and to pass along a message to Kouji's school that he was visiting his brother spontaneously.

Kouji sent checks every month to us. Sometimes with money included in the envelope. Kouji said the money was from Takuya and the others. I did hear from them occasionally, usually a yearly call or message. Izumi tried flirting with me over the phone, but the long distance relationship just wouldn't work out. Junpei made sure that our circle of friends wouldn't forget each other, so every Christmas I would find a load of boxes on my doorstep, gratitude of my friends. Thanks to him, and everyone else, I had a growing collection of videogames, manga, and books (okay, those were courtesy of Takuya and Tomoki… they even pooled their money to get me a Shounen Jump subscription). One year, there was even a box with a laptop in it. There was no note. I knew who it was. Kouji.

Things got better as I got older, but it was still hard. As okaasan lessened her work load, I took on more. And it was clear it was taking a toll on me. I started taking night classes at a community college and any online courses I could, and a couple different jobs in the daytime.

My eyes drooped as I sat there on the train, clutching a plastic bag close on my lap. Okaasan had gone out of her way to prepare a lunch for everyone. I'm sure Izumi would be making lunch for all of us, but okaasan insisted she at least do something. If only she could have come with me to see Kouji...

I shook my head. I couldn't fall asleep now. Not when the train was closing in on Shibuya. I didn't want to be late. Kouji would be sure to yell at me if I were… But my eyes started falling again.

Darkness. A purple mist swirled around me as I moved in the void. Nothing was there. I remembered this place. I remembered this nightmare… It was where Cherubimon brought my spirit into the Digital World and corrupted me… By fueling my hate for my brother.

"Kouichi."

I shook my head and covered my ears. The voice would tell me to kill my brother… I didn't want to hear it.

"Kouichi."

I saw a shadow looming over me. I closed my eyes. I didn't want to see it.

"Kouichi!"

My eyes snapped open. I was still on the train. I saw the bright flashing kanji for Shibuya station above the open door.

Thud. Thud. Thud. I whipped my head around, almost mistaking the window for a mirror. I saw the wide, worried eyes of my brother staring down at me. I bolted to my feet and ran for the closing doors. He moved with me on the outside of the train, just like me. But he was faster. He was always faster.

The moment I got to the door, I reached out to him His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. He yanked me out of the train car just in time- the doors nearly slid shut on my trailing foot and the bag of lunches. I fell into the comforting arms that hadn't embraced me in years. I closed my eyes, almost falling asleep again… I remembered how Kouji hugged me when he brought me back to life on that hospital bed.

"Onii-san….!"

We pushed each other back to arm's distance.

"You idiot! Pay attention to the stops!"

Kouji's brows furrowed and he looked as angry as he usually did. After a moment of looking me over, he sighed and smiled at me. I opened my mouth to apologize to him, but he cut me off.

"Let me carry that, you look tired enough as is." Kouji took the bag and my wrist, dragging me along through the station. No more words were exchanged as we wormed our way out of the bustling station.

"Kouji! Kouichi! Over here!" Izumi called.

Kouji and I looked over and saw a young woman with blond hair waving to us energetically. Izumi. She wore a lavender skirt and jacket with dark blue stockings underneath. Beside her stood a rather heavy set man, wearing a blue and yellow jacket and jeans. Junpei. The third person with them, I could barely recognize. He was sitting on the bench near Hachiko as we had planned. His short brown hair was hidden under a hat. He kind of looked like Takuya when he was young, but there was no mistaking Tomoki with his cell phone and bear charm dangling off of it as he punched in a text.

Kouji walked over nonchalantly, his hand still gripping my wrist. It almost felt like he was scared I would run off or disappear. I had to will my legs to follow him. I suddenly turned shy, not sure what to say… especially since it's been ten years. Once we were close enough to our friends, Kouji released his death grip on my wrist.

"Wow, even after all those years, you two still look the same." The Junpei commented, looking me over. I couldn't help but blush, feeling embarrassed. Did Kouji and I really look the same? My brother was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans. How he wasn't even slightly cold was beyond me. I was wearing a black short sleeve hoodie with a violet longsleeves underneath. It was spring, but it was still a chilly for my taste.

I knew I must look like a twig compared to my brother. He often told me about his kendo lessons and how Iori-senpai had high hopes for him. The similarity must have been in our faces. But even now, Kouji's brows always seemed lower than mine and I know I must wear a constant shy and worried look…

"Hey! Look who finally showed up!" A hand clapped on me in the back and the force nearly made me fall over.

A brunette young man snuck up on me. He grinned at me with his usual carefreeness. Takuya. He certainly hadn't changed. Well, except for the fact that he didn't have his goggles.

I swallowed my nervousness. "Hey, you lost the goggles."

Takuya stared at me. In the corner of my eye, Kouji's shoulders dropped as he gave out an exasperated sigh. Takuya took a dramatic step back and bit his lip.

"My goggles!" He grabbed at his forehead with one hand and ran his fingers through the bit of his tousled bangs that wasn't covered by his hat. "I loved them! I always wore them!"

"You gave them away." Kouji said bluntly as everyone turned to Takuya.

I was astonished. "You did?"

Takuya laughed. "Yeah. A kid of one of my neighbors got pretty attached to em. He called me his 'onii-san' and I couldn't help but give it to him. Taiki, I think his name was. I haven't seen him around recently, must've made some friends…"

I smiled. "Ah."

Tomoki stopped messing with his cell phone finally looked up to join the conversation. "Chiaki and the others said they're sorry but they can't make it this time…"

"Aw, that's a shame…." Takuya commented, sighing.

"You still keep in contact with them?" I asked.

"Yup!" Tomoki cheerily replied.

Izumi put an arm around Tomoki and pinched his cheek. "Of course, considering how you're going steady with Chiaki."

It was Tomoki's turn to blush. "H-hey! We're just really good friends!"

"Sì certo [1]." Izumi said with a little smile.

The chiding and joking began. I caught Kouji's eye, and he saw my nervousness. He raised a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat.

"Let's head for Yoyogi park."

The four others looked at my brother for a moment before nodding.

"Alright! To the park!" Takuya took off one way and started marching off.

"Takuya, I'm pretty sure it's this way." Izumi pointed out. The rest of us had already turned in the correct direction. Even I knew which watt to go, and it's been years since I've been in Shibuya.

Takuya laughed and fell into step with us. He put an arm around Kouji. My brother merely frowned and kept walking.

"Ne, Kouji, did you watch….?"

Takuya started yammering with my brother about anime. Kouji, despite looking annoyed, enjoyed the conversation. Their talk got pretty heated, talking about battles and other stuff. I watched them from the back of the line, a pang of sadness hitting me. I didn't quite fit the group ten years ago, and I still couldn't now. Was I really their friend?

"Hey, Kouichi, how's your mother?" Izumi walked along on my other side.

"She's doing really well, thanks." I replied. I kept my eyes on my brother.

Izumi could tell something was bugging me. "Kouichi-kun?" She followed my gaze.

"We tried meeting up once a year on this day before… It was Kouji's idea." Izumi said. "It never really worked out though. At least one person wasn't present each year besides you…. Sometimes Junpei would have extra club things to do. Tomoki spent more time with his brother since Yutaka moved out after university… Takuya always had some sports thing to go to… I eventually had to help at Papa's restaurant."

I frowned. I now understood why Kouji had asked me to come back on this day every year. I thought he was just trying to get an excuse for me to go visit him.

A breeze kicked up a flurry of cherry blossom petals, signaling that we had made it to the park. Izumi ran ahead and put her bag down to pull out a blanket. Everyone grabbed an edge of the sheet and sat down quickly before the thing could be blown away by the wind.

"Feel free to eat whatever you want. I hope I made enough…" Izumi distributed chopsticks and her bentou.

"Aah. Kouji…" I said quietly as I glanced at him.

Kouji stared at me blankly for a split second before remembering the bag he was holding. "Oh, right." He reached in and started pulling in color coded bentou boxes. Not only that, they were wrapped in corresponding handkerchiefs. A red one with flames for Takuya, light blue with snowflakes for Tomoki, blue with yellow lightning bolts for Junpei, and lavender clouds for Izumi.

Junpei cracked a grin at me. "Kouichi, don't tell me you made lunches for us too."

I turned red slightly. "N-no!" Now that he mentioned it, I almost wished I did. "Okaasan made them for us. She said you can keep the bentou boxes too. It's her gift to all of you for being such good friends."

"Awwwwwwww. Grazie! [2]" Izumi exclaimed, holding hers up. "It's so cute!"

The others looked equally impressed and said their thanks as well. The only one who hadn't said anything was my brother. He was staring at his, almost hesitant to pull the handkerchief off his bent. The handkerchief looked almost exactly like Wolfmon's scarf.

I smiled. "Okaasan custom ordered that." Kouji looked at me, wondering… "She caught some of my sketches of Wolfmon. She said his scarf reminded her of you."

I saw the most genuine smile spread across my brother's face. "Thanks…" Kouji handed me my own bentou wrapped in a black handkerchief. "Do you have those sketches with you?"

"Actually, yeah." I took out a tiny black sketchbook from my pocket. I opened it and started flipping through the pages.

"Whoa, those are really good, Kouichi-san. !" Tomoki exclaimed.

My face flushed red as my friends crowded around me. My body trembled a bit… I wasn't used to people getting this close to me. A hand touched my shoulder and I turned my head. Kouji smiled at me gently.

"You should become a mangaka!" Tomoki continued.

"Ehh?" I don't know if my face could turn any more red. "I don't know if I could…"

"But these are really good!" Takuya grinned from ear to ear. "Dude, you could make a manga out of our adventure! And I could be the main character! And save the Digital World!"

"Hey, what are we? Fish bait?" Izumi argued with Takuya. "We helped too you know!"

"Ne, it could become an anime for all we know." Tomoki's eye sparkled as he started dreaming.

"We could become our own seiyuu! And sing image songs!" Junpei added. "Maybe we could even have our own drama CD!"

"I've got mine…! Salamander ga sakebu kobushi de moeru honoo [3]…." Takuya jumped up and pretended to sing. "And the theme song should be FIRE! Burn up 'n go!"

Kouji looked like he wanted to join in the conversation, but he glanced at me, wanting to console me with something realistic.

"Oniisan." Kouji said quietly. "You could if you want…"

I looked at my twin, confused. "Could what?"

"Become a mangaka."

I flushed. "It's a lot of hard work… And I'd have to move-" I stopped. So that's what it was. Kouji wanted me to get a job in the city. He wanted me to be closer… "Kouji… I doubt I could make that kind of money to support myself."

"I know. But you'd be doing something you'd enjoy." He was still avoiding the truth.

"… True."

There was a moment of silence between us. I continued staring at Kouji, waiting for him to break, like I knew he would. I wanted him to say it out loud instead of making me play this guessing game.

"We could get an apartment together. And I'll help you get on your feet."

I smiled. I wanted to turn him down, but his eyes were pleading… Ten years. I wanted to cry. It felt like I had wasted all this time…

"… Kouichi? Are you crying?" Izumi noticed in the middle of the brainstorming discussion for a manga.

I blinked the tears back, but couldn't. I raised a hand and wiped them away before they could start dropping.

"Gomen." I said. "I'm just… happy." I lied. A little white lie wouldn't hurt…

"Iie." Kouji said sternly. He pulled my hand away. "I asked Kouichi-niisan if he wanted to move back into the city… Since we're finding jobs and all…. We're grown up now…"

"But it's too late…" I started to reason.

"It's never too late!" Takuya boldly stated. "Kouichi! You need to chase after your dreams, your passions! Who knows, maybe it'll lead you back to where you belong!"

Takuya grinned widely at me. He didn't need to clarify his last sentence. Where I belonged… with my friends.

"Hey, if you do move back here, we'd all pitch in to help! I'd totally get you guys a new TV or game consoles!" Takuya held his hand out in the air in front of me.

A hand reached out and daintily rested on top of Takuya's. "Takuya… Before that, I'm sure they need wallpapers and such to paint and decorate their walls. And I'd be happy to throw that in."

Junpei laughed and put his hand on Izumi's. "I'll throw in a desk and furnishings. Kouichi can't draw without something to sit at."

Tomoki eagerly nodded and added his hand. "And I'll get you materials and paper."

I bit my lip, unsure. They were doing so much for me. I saw Kouji move in the corner of my eye. He looked at me and smiled. "See? Oniisan…. We'll all pitch in and help…"

My heart ached, but at the same time their optimism was infectious. I smiled and nodded.

"You're absolutely right…" I added my hand to their joined ones. "Now about that manga…"

* * *

"… Guess this is goodbye for now." Takuya sighed.

"Shame you don't live any closer…" Izumi said sadly.

"You have a safe trip back, ne?" Junpei.

"Come back soon, Kouichi-oniisan." Tomoki said, trying to brighten all of our spirits. "We'll all be waiting for you."

I nodded. The train doors opened and I stepped into the train. I turned around and looked at Kouji… I felt bad, remembering the other time I got on a train without him…

"Kouji. Gomen…"

The speakers dinged, signaling the closing of the doors. I saw Kouji's eyebrows furrow and he bounded forward, one long stride forward put him directly in front of me… and in the train car. The doors hissed shut behind him.

"Kouji!" I exclaimed.

Kouji said nothing but turned to the others. The train jerked to life and our friends ran outside the train, waving and hooting. I saw Takuya and Tomoki flash a thumbs up to Kouji, and my twin returned the gesture. Izumi and Junpei were waving goodbye. All of them were smiling. I wasn't sure why… I mean it was a goodbye right?

Once we couldn't see them in the window anymore, Kouji turned to me. He wore that proud smirk, as if to shove it in my face. "You didn't see that coming, did you?"

My eyelids dropped to half mast. I was not amused. "You planned that?"

Kouji smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. "I wanted to see okaasan anyway. I've got a few days off."

"You have a few days off or you're giving yourself the day off?"

"Same difference."

"What? No it's not!"

Kouji chuckled and sat down. "Come on, we've got a long ride ahead of us."

"You don't have to travel all the way to Niigata!" I exclaimed. A few people on the car glared at me. I quickly lowered my voice. "It's a 6 hour travel….! And we have transfers….!"

Kouji smiled at me, as though he had all the worlds' problems solved. He grabbed my wrist and yanked me down into the seat next to him. "I'll wake you up whenever we have to transfer, okay onii-san?"

I sighed and blushed, thankful I had such a caring brother… I rested my head against Kouji's shoulder. As darkness and dreams claimed me, I could not feel any safer as Kouji slipped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.

* * *

_Haruka mirai Warau bokutachi ni Itsuka aitai_

I want to meet ourselves that laugh in the far future

_Sugiteku hibi Arikitari de hayakute Mienaku naru_

_Ima Jibun no iru basho ga doko na no ka Doko e mukau no ka_

The days that pass by are common, fast, and I cannot see

The place that I'm at now, to where am I going

_Nami ni nomareru koto wa Tayasui keredo_

_Tamerau no Naze nan darou...?_

It's easy to be swallowed by the waves but

Why do I hesitate...?

_Haruka mirai Warau bokutachi ni Itsuka aitai_

_Sonna negai Areba kitto Machigawanai yo ne_

I want to meet ourselves that laugh in the far future

If that kind of wish is present, we'll never make mistakes

_Kowarekaketa hoshi de wa Kataru yume mo Usoppokute_

_Ima Jibun no iru sekai mamoru dake de Seiippai demo_

The dream told by a broken star seems like a lie

Even if protecting the world I live in is the best I can do

_Osanai hi no kibou wa Tsukutta nja naku_

_Uketsuida mono deshou...?_

The hope from the innocent days were not created but

Is something that is passed down...?

_Haruka mirai Ikiru hitotachi ni Chizu okuritai_

_Sonna omoi Areba zutto Aruite yukeru ne_

I want to send a map to the people living in the far future

If that kind of feeling is present, we can continue walking

_Haruka mirai Warau bokutachi ni Itsuka aitai_

_Sonna negai Areba kitto Machigawanai yo ne_

I want to meet ourselves that laugh in the far future

If that kind of wish is present, we'll never make mistakes

(Lyrics from AnimeLyrics dot com)

* * *

[1] Si certo - Of course

[2] Grazie - Thank you!

[3] Salamander ga sakebu kobushi de moeru hone - (from Takuya's image song) The salamander shouts, the burning flame in my fist


End file.
